Santa Cruise Read online

  Books by Fern Michaels

  Hidden

  No Way Out

  The Brightest Star

  Fearless

  Spirit of the Season

  Deep Harbor

  Fate & Fortune

  Sweet Vengeance

  Holly and Ivy

  Fancy Dancer

  No Safe Secret

  Wishes for Christmas

  About Face

  Perfect Match

  A Family Affair

  Forget Me Not

  The Blossom Sisters

  Balancing Act

  Tuesday’s Child

  Betrayal

  Southern Comfort

  To Taste the Wine

  Sins of the Flesh

  Sins of Omission

  Return to Sender

  Mr. and Miss Anonymous

  Up Close and Personal

  Fool Me Once

  Picture Perfect

  The Future Scrolls

  Kentucky Sunrise

  Kentucky Heat

  Kentucky Rich

  Plain Jane

  Charming Lily

  What You Wish For

  The Guest List

  Listen to Your Heart

  Celebration

  Yesterday

  Finders Keepers

  Annie’s Rainbow

  Sara’s Song

  Vegas Sunrise

  Vegas Heat

  Vegas Rich

  Whitefire

  Wish List

  Dear Emily

  Christmas at Timberwoods

  The Sisterhood Novels:

  Bitter Pill

  Truth and Justice

  Cut and Run

  Safe and Sound

  Need to Know

  Crash and Burn

  Point Blank

  In Plain Sight

  Eyes Only

  Kiss and Tell

  Blindsided

  Gotcha!

  Home Free

  Déjà Vu

  Cross Roads

  Game Over

  Deadly Deals

  Vanishing Act

  Razor Sharp

  Under the Radar

  Final Justice

  Collateral Damage

  Fast Track

  Hokus Pokus

  Hide and Seek

  Free Fall

  Lethal Justice

  Sweet Revenge

  The Jury

  Vendetta

  Payback

  Weekend Warriors

  The Men of the Sisterhood Novels:

  Hot Shot

  Truth or Dare

  High Stakes

  Fast and Loose

  Double Down

  The Godmothers Series:

  Far and Away

  Classified

  Breaking News

  Deadline

  Late Edition

  Exclusive

  The Scoop

  E-Book Exclusives:

  Desperate Measures

  Seasons of Her Life

  To Have and To Hold

  Serendipity

  Captive Innocence

  Captive Embraces

  Captive Passions

  Captive Secrets

  Captive Splendors

  Cinders to Satin

  For All Their Lives

  Texas Heat

  Texas Rich

  Texas Fury

  Texas Sunrise

  Anthologies:

  Home Sweet Home

  A Snowy Little Christmas

  Coming Home for Christmas

  A Season to Celebrate

  Mistletoe Magic

  Winter Wishes

  The Most Wonderful Time

  When the Snow Falls

  Secret Santa

  A Winter Wonderland

  I’ll Be Home for Christmas

  Making Spirits Bright

  Holiday Magic

  Snow Angels

  Silver Bells

  Comfort and Joy

  Sugar and Spice

  Let it Snow

  A Gift of Joy

  Five Golden Rings

  Deck the Halls

  Jingle All the Way

  FERN MICHAELS

  SANTA CRUISE

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Epilogue

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2021 Fern Michaels, Fern Michaels is a registered trademark of KAP 5, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

  The K logo is a trademark of Kensington Publishing Corp.

  Library of Congress control number: 2021934888

  ISBN: 978-1-4967-3119-7

  First Kensington Hardcover Edition: October 2021

  Chapter One

  June

  Ridgewood, New Jersey

  The big banner read WELCOME RIDGEWOOD HIGH CLASSMATES! For some, it was a frightening experience. For others, it was an opportunity to show off how far they had come in the fifteen years since leaving high school.

  Francesca (Frankie) Cappella was on the fence. She had built an excellent reputation in the publishing industry, marketing books for authors and publishers, but her love of music and the desire to perform had never left her. After graduating from a top music school, she had spent six years in New York City, auditioning for every part for which she thought she was suited. She had a “big voice” with a lot of nuance, but the producers were looking for a big nasal voice, something that made her cringe. Sure, she could sing that way if she had to, but she hated it. Why would she want to do something she hates? It took all the pleasure out of singing for her. Eventually, every singer sounded the same. She had spent too many years working on her own sound. Taking matters into her own hands, she found a producer and cut a few tracks. She got some radio airplay, but without the backing of a big record company, she could only go so far. During the years she had spent following her dream, to pay the rent she had worked as a temp for a number of large corporations, eventually taking a full-time job with a publisher of comic books. Her parents knew that working in corporate America wasn’t in her heart, but it was a living, and living in New York was challenging enough.

  She eventually work
ed her way up to the top at a major publishing house, but she never felt as if she was a success, especially after the incident at the last reunion, when Drew Aikens said something right to her face. “Gee, Frankie, you were such a good singer. Too bad you never made it.” Those crushing words almost kept her from coming to this reunion, which included several classes besides hers. Still feeling the sting of those hurtful words, she thought to herself, Maybe that creep won’t show up.

  Frankie knew that some would be envious of her position as a vice president of a successful publisher. Her life was interesting and filled with a lot of professional events, but she still felt that a piece was missing. A lover, a partner, a friend. Sure, she could have three different men, but what she really wanted was a man who was all three. Yeah. Good luck with that.

  She took one more glance at her reflection in the glass of the hotel artwork. Hair? Jet black, slicked, and pulled into a long ponytail. Dress? Figure-flattering little black dress that showed off her well-toned calves. Lipstick? Bright. She then had the horrifying thought she might have lipstick on her teeth. Next came the angst of her eyeliner running. But before she had the chance to pull out a small mirror, the squeals of Nina Hunter were heard across the lobby.

  “Frankie! Oh baby.” Nina Hunter pushed through the crowd and gave her friend a huge, crushing hug.

  Nina was five feet eight inches tall, towering over Frankie’s five-foot-four-inch frame. In high school, Nina had been in every school play, community-theater production, and summer-camp program. That’s where she and Frankie had bonded. Frankie was the singer; Nina was the actress. Nina’s love was acting, and she was particularly good at it, so much so that she had landed a part on a television sitcom after attending the University of Southern California. She wasn’t the star of the show but had enough screen time to make her a fan favorite. Her long brown curly hair, big brown eyes, and long legs were hard to miss.

  “Nee-Na,” Frankie howled back, making sure her makeup didn’t smudge on Nina’s silk dress. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here!” Frankie was surprised but also tickled pink.

  “I have an audition in the city in a few days, so I thought I’d return to our old haunts.”

  “You mean Shut Up and Eat?” Frankie joked, referring to the local diner where they would hang out after football games or other school events. Only the coolest kids would go there.

  “Is it still there?” Nina asked.

  “It is. Butch Anderson organizes breakfasts there several times a year,” Frankie replied. “I’ve been to a few; but to be honest, I don’t feel I have anything in common with them anymore.”

  “I think I know what you mean.” Nina put her arm around her friend. “It’s married couples talking about either their latest renovation or bragging about their kids.” Nina made a snoring sound, causing Frankie to burst out laughing.

  “Oh my goodness. You are so right.” Frankie nodded in agreement. “I feel like the only thing I talk about is work or some function I’ve attended. They look at me as if I’m some kind of snob. Or weirdo.”

  “I totally get it. If I’m not surrounded by Mr. and Mrs. Whoever, it’s someone in the biz blowing smoke about their latest script, treatment, and who might be reading it next. I mean, it is Hollywood, but it can be so superficial.”

  “I can only imagine,” Frankie said. “I had a small taste of it when I was trying out for musicals. Funny thing, though, publishing isn’t all that different. It’s a sliver of show business. Besides, most of the publishing companies are owned by big conglomerates. But enough of that. Tell me about you. Besides your acting success, what else keeps you out of trouble?” Frankie chuckled.

  “My dog.” Nina smiled. “He’s a big Bernese mountain dog named Winston. We go for hikes in the hills. He makes me feel safe on the trails even though he’s really a mush.”

  “I assume you live in a house?” Frankie asked.

  “Oh yeah. I cannot imagine Winston in an apartment. It would be like a bull in a china shop!” Nina chuckled. “I rent a small house in Topanga Canyon. It’s just far enough from the hustle that I can drain my brain after long days of shooting.”

  Glancing at the posters covered in student photos, Frankie said, “You’re probably the most successful graduate.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that. Yes, I am incredibly lucky to have landed this part, and I mean incredibly lucky. It’s really about being in the right place at the right time.”

  “Speaking of being in the right place, I think I may need to go to the bar and get a little something to soothe my nerves.” Frankie linked her arm through Nina’s.

  “Nervous? You?” Nina was surprised. “You were the ringleader, party thrower, class president, lead singer in a band, and captain of the gymnastics team.”

  “That was before I knew anything about life.” Frankie laughed. “Back then, I thought if you went for something and gave it your all, you’d be rewarded. And if you tried really hard but made a mistake, all would be forgiven, and you would get another chance. Nope. You make one mistake, and it goes into your permanent record.” Frankie used air quotes for “permanent record.” “This grown-up stuff isn’t easy.”

  Nina burst out laughing. “Kinda like you make one creepy low-budget film to try to get exposure, and you’re pegged as ‘Oh yeah, that Nina Hunter. Didn’t she play a disembodied creature in that hack movie?’ ”

  The women howled and continued making their way toward the bar. As they waited in line to be served, Frankie whispered to Nina, “Who are these people?”

  Nina let out a guffaw, then whispered in return, “I think we went to high school with most of them.” She ordered a gin and tonic for herself. “Frankie? What are you having?”

  “Hemlock?” Frankie chortled.

  “Ha! Wine? Or a stronger adult beverage?”

  “I’ll have what you’re having,” Frankie replied, and Nina held up two fingers to the bartender.

  Frankie lowered her voice further. “They all look so frumpy! Sure, you would expect that of the people who graduated a few years before us, but even our own classmates! Most of them look like they gave up caring years ago.” She nodded to a woman wearing clogs. Nina almost spit out her drink.

  “Oh my gosh. That’s Amy Blanchard. She hasn’t changed a bit.” Before either of them had an opportunity to say hello to Amy, a loud cry came from the throng.

  “Ladies!” It was Rachael Newmark, one of their old pals, doing a little rumba dance in their direction.

  “Honey!” Nina gave her a one-arm hug, trying not to spill her drink. “You look great! Still dancing, I see?”

  Rachael Newmark was the shortest and most petite of the three, with a brown pixie haircut, turned-up nose, and green eyes. “Chicas! So good to see you. You both look fabulous.”

  They immediately huddled and joked that they were not old enough to be at the reunion.

  Amy caught a glimpse of the three women and started in their direction. “Well, if it isn’t the unholy trinity,” Amy teased.

  Frankie bit her lip, Nina was taken aback, and Rachael couldn’t help but blurt out, “I see the fashion police haven’t been here yet.”

  Amy blinked. “Oh these?” She pointed to her feet. “I broke my toe and, quite frankly, I don’t give a darn.”

  “When did you ever?” Rachael said, with a touch of sarcasm.

  “Good point,” Amy agreed. “But I’ll have you know that it’s quite the geek fashion statement now.” She took a bow.

  All four women laughed. Amy had been the geek, dweeb, nerd of the group. She was president of the science club in school but had a lot of team spirit and would always sign up to be the stage manager for the plays. She would often get teased because she was much more the intellect than most of her classmates, but Nina, Rachael, and Frankie always included her. They would refer to Amy as “the brains of the operation.” She still wore the same big black-rimmed glasses. Her ash-blond hair was adorned with a pink headband that matched her maxi dress. She ha
d a pretty, round face with a milky complexion and rosy cheeks. There was a spunk and youthfulness about her that belied her age of thirty-three.

  Nina took the lead. “Well, ladies, perhaps we should grab a table before we’re forced to sit with some creep from biology class.” They all laughed, recalling Billy Gwyer chasing the girls around with a garden snake.

  “Do you think he might be here?” Frankie surveyed the room.

  “The big question is, is he as cute as he used to be?” Rachael snickered.

  “You were always boy-crazy.” Amy poked at her.

  “And look where I am now,” Rachael replied. “I got married because my parents didn’t want me running all over the world chasing men. And how did that turn out? Well, now I’m divorced.”

  “But are you still chasing men?” Nina joked.

  “I’ve given up.” Rachael sighed.

  “You?” they mocked in unison.

  “It’s slim pickings out there, girls. Even old Slim Pickens himself is no longer available.”

  The women hooted. “I hear you loud and clear.” Frankie joined in. “I haven’t had a date—I mean a real date—in probably three years.”

  “You can’t be serious.” Nina crowed. “Look at you. You’re stunning and successful.”

  “Thanks, but that doesn’t seem to make for a great date, let alone girlfriend. My friend Ken once told me that I’m very intimidating.” Frankie shook her head. “I don’t get it. I’m so charming.” She smiled wryly.

  “Honey, I’m in the same single boat,” Nina confessed.

  “But you’re in the land of glamour and excitement,” Amy protested.

  “It’s a lot of smoke and mirrors. Trust me,” Nina replied. “If I were a high-powered producer or an agent, I’d have a new date every night. But unless you can do something for someone, you’re not dating material.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Amy objected. “You, famous actress, can’t get a date?”

  “I’m not that famous,” Nina said.

  “Well, you are to us,” Amy insisted.